Empire's Expansion
by Artful
Summary: The Z warriors and Sailor Senshi must fight the invasion of an interdimensional empire.
1. Introduction part 1: Studies

Empire's Expansion  
  
Summary: The Z warriors and Sailor Senshi must fight the invasion of an interdimensional empire.  
  
Timeline:  
DBZ between Freeza saga and Cell saga  
SM between R and S  
  
Legal disclaimer (long version)  
1. Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon are owned by Akira Toriyama and Naoko Takeuchi, respectively, and such other persons as they have seen fit to grant rights to (collectively Owners). The Author of this work makes no claim of ownership or right to reproduce.  
2. This work has been produced without the knowledge or consent of the Owners.  
3. This is a work of parody, and should not be taken as a factual account of the source material or of the Owners. All sections of the work which do not contain previously copyrighted material are copyright of the Author and are his sole responsibility.  
4. This work is not intended to generate a profit, nor to interfere with the commercial interests of the Owners. This work may not be reproduced without the express consent of the Owners and the Author.  
  
Legally, I can no longer be sued! *does the 'just try and sue me now' dance* Now that that's out of the way, let's get to the main event.  
  
  
  
Introduction part 1: Studies  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Gohan was bored.  
  
His eyelids hung heavily in a valiant attempt to stay open. The single arm assigned to hold up his head gradually began to slip before failing entirely, dropping his head to the desk with a resounding crack.  
  
Muttering, Gohan stifled a yawn and brought his head back up. Awareness gradually returned as he looked over his desk. Papers, pencils and books were strewn about haphazardly, covering the entire surface (though fortunately not the place he had hit his head.) He groggily surveyed the mess, trying to figure out what he had been working at before drifting off.  
  
The answer was right in front of him. Or more accurately, a question with no apparent answer. A math book lay open in the center of the desk. Next to it, a page covered with cryptic symbols and full of hasty hand written corrections.   
  
Gohan frowned in concentration. Even now that he was fully awake, the answer to the last algebra problem still eluded him. He carefully reviewed each step he had previously put down, trying to make sense of the problem. He spotted the error and sighed. There was a misplaced term in the second step. A simple mistake that cost him twenty minutes of frustration. He crumpled the paper up, threw it into a nearby wastebasket, and slammed the book shut. Gohan considered the rest of the pile of papers, then sighed.  
  
'I need a break.' Gohan jumped down from the chair. He started across the room toward his closet when a thought struck him. His foot paused in midair as his whole body froze. 'Mom's not gonna like it if I don't do my homework. Maybe I shouldn't go out.' Chichi had threatened to fix nothing but cabbage for a month, and he wasn't too interested in discovering whether she was serious.  
  
Rationalization came swiftly. He was never going to finish if he kept falling asleep. He would go train for a while, and then he'd be alert enough to do the rest of his work. Mom wouldn't be upset then.  
  
Satisfied, he continued toward the closet. He pulled off his school uniform, carefully placing it on an empty hanger, and pulled out his training outfit. Thoughts of homework vanished as he donned the blue jumpsuit. With the last knot set in his belt, Gohan confidently stepped out his room.  
  
"Hey dad!" Gohan called out as the he entered the living room. Goku was doing his usual exercise routine, doing endless sit-ups with remarkable speed. "Can I go out for a while?"  
  
"Okay," Goku said without breaking pace. "Be sure to tell your mother."  
  
"Thanks dad," said Gohan through a forced grin while a bead of sweat formed on his forehead. He had hoped to avoid this. Carefully, he edged toward the kitchen door.  
  
Chichi hummed quietly as she worked in the kitchen. As Gohan approached she picked out a large knife and started chopping up what looked like a round, green vegetable.  
  
Bravely facing such ominous signs, Gohan drew in a huge breath. Surprised at the sudden sound, Chichi looked up and started to turn. He summoned all of his courage...  
  
"MomI'mgoingoutforawhileI'llbebackfordinner," he gasped out in a single breath. Courage satisfied, he bravely turned tail and fled the scene.  
  
"Gohan? Gohan!" Chichi took two swift steps out of the kitchen, knife still in hand. She arrived in the hallway just in time to see the front door slam shut. The sound of powered flight burst outside and faded within seconds. She pouted for a moment before assuming an angry expression and swiftly rounding on Goku.  
  
"That boy of yours! Always shirking his responsibilities!" She crossed her arms. "I bet he hasn't even finished his homework yet. I won't have him becoming a delinquent!"  
  
Goku continued exercising, unfazed. They had this discussion a thousand times before, and he knew the right responses by heart. "Come on, dear, you know how hard Gohan has been working at school recently. He deserves some time to himself."  
  
Chichi softened. "I suppose. But still..."  
  
Goku took the opening. "Besides, you remember what Trunks said. We all have to train as hard as we can to be ready for the androids."  
  
That stopped her. She had always known her husband was a fighter. It was why she married him, and it was part of the reason she loved him so much. Goku had put his life on the line again and again to protect the weak. He had even been killed once. Yet he met each day with cheer and boundless energy. Ever since Gohan was born, Goku had shared this joy with him. It was clear that he loved his son deeply; and as much as she might not like it, her son seemed to share his father's destiny. She had to be strong for them, so they could be strong for others.  
  
"Well," she continued after a slight pause, "be sure you clean up for dinner. Bulma and Vegeta are coming over." She turned and fled back into the kitchen.  
  
"Ok dear," Goku called after her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A wind blew through the plain, rippling through the grass, bowing the heads of wildflowers, rasping along exposed earth and whistling among the rocky spires. The fierce summer sun blazed overhead, pounding down on any animal foolish enough to expose itself. Only the insects remained active, zipping happily from flower to flower, gathering nectar while inadvertently helping the flowers to reproduce. Even mice had long since retreated to their burrows. A giant saw-toothed lizard lay asleep, basking on an exposed rock ledge, and none dared dispute his claim.  
  
Piccolo looked down upon the plain with cold eyes from atop one of the spires. A sudden gust hit the spire, flowing past his scaled forearms and snapping his white cape. Satisfied that he was alone, Piccolo tucked his feet into his knees and secured his cape. Fully entering his meditative stance, he closed his eyes.  
  
Even with his eyes closed, the Namek still saw a green tint through his eyelids. As he concentrated, the subtle glow diminished. It finally vanished, leaving only a deep darkness behind. Piccolo continued to concentrate, and gradually his other senses began to respond. The heat of the sun, the smell of the flowers, the feel of the wind on his bare skin all began to fade. Soon his mind was floating in a calm, dark void, free from all sensations. Piccolo gazed into the darkness for a single, eternal moment. He turned away and then opened his other senses.  
  
A burst of light came into the void. Instead of mere light, however, Piccolo opened himself to the shining luminance of power. He could now sense all the life about him. He felt the grass take in the energy of the sun and convert it to shimmering life force. Bees became points of light, drawing life from the flowers and giving in return. He could see the bright sparks of slumbering animals in their dens. Even the earth itself held an aura of power; diffuse, slow, but extremely potent.  
  
Suddenly, Piccolo felt his senses being drawn upward into the sky. A brilliant beacon of power rose over the horizon, shining even more brightly than the sun. It moved rapidly toward him, becoming clearer with each moment. A familiar presence emanated from within the locus of power, and as Piccolo struggled back to consciousness, a named bubbled up from the recesses of his mind.  
  
"Mr. Piccolo!" a joyous shout rang out from overhead. The fiery aura of flight dissolved from Gohan as he settled down to float in front of Piccolo. "Hi Mr. Piccolo!"  
  
"Hello Gohan," Piccolo rumbled out with his gravelly voice. "What do you want?"  
  
"Can I train with you for a while Mr. Piccolo?"  
  
Piccolo opened his eyes to consider the boy in front of him. Gohan had a wide smile and wide-open eyes, and seemed as if he didn't have a care in the world. The scars of his past were nowhere to be seen.  
  
When his own father had died, Piccolo had adopted the young child. He trained Gohan without mercy for an entire year, forcing him to fight or die. This mere child had seen battle, seen his friends die helpless against seemingly unstoppable opponents. He had been forced to grow up much too quickly. Yet somehow, he remained innocent and carefree.  
  
Piccolo had dedicated his life to power, to becoming stronger and to defeating his opponents. He had let power rule him, controlling his actions and forcing him to fight. Power had made him bitter and angry, blindly attacking everyone he thought of as a threat. He was now the strongest member of his race who had ever existed. Even so, this mere child in front of him burned with a power that Piccolo could never hope to possess.  
  
"I'm sorry kid. You've learned all you can from me. I can't train you any more."  
  
"Awww! Please Mr. Piccolo!"  
  
"Tell you what," Piccolo grinned. "We can spar for a while."  
  
"OK!" Gohan chirped enthusiastically.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The spar continued for a half hour without a single blow landing. Every punch and kick was dodged or blocked as fast as they came in. Gohan faked a stomach kick, and finally landed a right hook across the jaw of Piccolo. A line of purple blood ran down his lip. Gohan looked concerned, but Piccolo just grinned before launching a flurry of jabs at the stunned Gohan. He managed to divert most of them, but several made it through his guard and struck his chest.  
  
Gohan reeled under the attack for several seconds. When an opening presented itself he disengaged and decided to open the range. Using a trick he had learned from his father, Gohan continued to back flip until he was several meters away. Piccolo pressed his advantage and hurriedly followed.  
  
"I order you to stop that immediately!" came a shout from out of nowhere.  
  
The warriors complied, more out of amazement than anything else. They had been so intent on the fight that they hadn't noticed anyone approaching. As they scanned about for the owner of the mysterious voice, it rang out again.  
  
"What kind of vile creature are you?" A slim figure stepped out from behind a spire. The voice became clearer, taking on a distinctly feminine tone. "How dare you attack a defenseless child!" A girl stepped out of the shadows.   
  
Her long raven hair flapped in the breeze. She wore a white leotard, covered by a red bow across the chest and a barely decent short red skirt. Gohan was taken aback for a moment, but reacted quickly. "I'm sorry miss." He spread his hands and smiled. "It's really not like that. You see, Mr. Piccolo and I were just..."  
  
The girl ignored Gohan while moving to point at Piccolo. "I will punish you!" Her hand clenched into a fist as she lunged.  
  
Piccolo stood his ground. He had taken the measure of the intruder's power while she talked and wasn't concerned with her. The strength of the attack was surprising. It was far beyond what any human female could have produced. Her lunge would have killed any ordinary man; but Piccolo was hardly ordinary. At the last moment he held his arm up, and the killing blow ricocheted off his natural armor. The girl followed gamely with series of strikes at the head, all of which Piccolo dodged. With a feral grin, Piccolo delivered his first punch right to the torso. The girl was caught squarely and sent flying towards Gohan.  
  
Gohan had watched the attack with increasing rage. When the attacker was sent toward him, he jumped up to intercept her. "Leave Mr. Piccolo alone!" he shouted angrily, and delivered an immense backhand which drove the girl to the ground between him and Piccolo.  
  
She struggled to stand. Once on her feet, she pointed one arm at Gohan and one at Piccolo. Energy began to collect in her cupped hands as she started to chant. "Mars Burning..."  
  
The two targets weren't about to let her finish. They copied her earlier move and both dove in fists first. Two fists impacted on opposite sides of the girl's chest. Popping sound signaled ribs snapping under the tremendous strain. Her arms dropped, the power vanishing. Gohan and Piccolo stepped back gasping in relief.  
  
The girl's arms continued to fall, shoulders sliding down the sides of the torso. Her outfit seemed to melt, sloughing off the quivering form. As the two watched in horror, the body lost all consistency and reduced to an amorphous blob. Then, impossibly, the blob began to flow toward them. They quickly gathered their own power and launched a volley of ki blasts into it, producing a cloud of smoke and heat.  
  
A stiff breeze came across the plain, blowing the cloud away within moments. When they could finally see where they had blasted, nothing remained but a hole. Whatever it was, it had been disintegrated.  
  
Gohan cast a worried look towards his mentor. "What was that, Mr. Piccolo?"  
  
Piccolo frowned, his eyes never leaving the crater. "I don't know."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
What mysterious force threatens the Z warriors? How are the Sailor Senshi involved? Keep reading to find out!  
  
A/N: "She blew up good!" "Yep! She blew up real good!" Errr... old Canadian TV aside, all is not as it appears. We'll be meeting the Senshi (all of them ^^) in the next section, which should be up next week. In the mean time, pls make an old fogy deliriously happy by telling him what you think. Ja na!  



	2. Introduction part 2: Festivities

Legal Disclaimer (short version): I'm not them, they're not me, and it's all in fun, so don't be cruel!   
  
Empire's Expansion   
by Artful   
  
  
  
Introduction part 2: Festivities   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
Usagi was bored.   
  
She lay back on the rumpled covers of her bed and thrust the tattered manga over her face. The young girl on the page swung her staff downward, sealing the wayward spirit. Usagi flipped to the next page and sighed. She had reached the back cover. Briefly she scanned the advertisements for x-ray glass and sea monkeys before tossing the magazine aside.   
  
The abused pages flapped like a severely intoxicated bird until the flying object collided with the far wall. It slid down and landed on a pile of similarly discarded material that shuddered under the new weight before settling into a shorter and wider stack.   
  
The entire room was in a state of frightful disarray. Light filtered in through drapes half torn from their runners. Clothes were spread across the entire floor, broken by several heaps of manga and soda cans. The closet door was jammed open by a bulge in the clutter, evidence of a futile attempt to conceal the entire mess.   
  
Usagi sighed. She had been looking forward to Golden Week for what seemed like forever. A whole seven days off of school, slacking off and enjoying herself. That had been the expectation, anyway. She had not been prepared for so much free time. Already, she had exhausted every activity she owned. Every video game had been finished and every scrap of manga read and reread until she could nearly recite them from memory. She had spent the last of her allowance yesterday at the game center in an unsuccessful attempt to capture a sailor senshi plushie, and her friends had all made it very clear that they weren't going to loan her any money.   
  
So with two full days of vacation left Usagi was stuck at home with nothing to do. An idle longing for homework hovered at the edge of her mind, but was quickly overwhelmed by a wave of disgust. Deep despair welled up in her chest, and she tilted her head back and let it out. "There's nothing to DOOOO!!!" she cried with a high nasal shriek. A squirrel spasmed in terror on the windowsill, then frantically jumped into the nearest tree.   
  
"Good morning, Usagi!" a cheerful voice came from outside her room. The door was forced open and a young man stuck his head in. "Hey, where's your cat? Did you bury under here?" Shingo stirred a pile of clothing with his foot.   
  
Veins bulged on Usagi's forehead as the statement hit home. Luna had snapped at her this morning, claiming that the girl was impossible to deal with. She said she was going out to do some "research". The lunar cat had disappeared and Usagi hadn't seen her since.   
  
"What you want, spore?" Usagi snapped as she directed a blazing glare at her brother.   
  
Shingo put on his most winning smile. "I thought you might be a little bored."   
  
Usagi put her nose up and turned away, closing her eyes. "For your information, I'm perfectly happy right now." There was absolutely no way she was playing with her dorky little brother, no matter if she was bored or not.   
  
His hands came up in an exaggerated shrug. "Ok then. I guess you don't want to go the festival." He turned to leave.   
  
"Festival?" Usagi asked in surprise. "What festival?"   
  
The head popped back into the room. "They're having a big festival over in Juuban Park. There's rides and food and games and everything. Dad said he would give me some money to go, but I don't feel like it today." Shingo brought his hand over his mouth and hacked loudly.   
  
"Well I wanna go!" Usagi jumped off the bed and dashed for the door. "Outta my way!"   
  
"Umm... Usagi." Shingo squeaked, not moving.   
  
She stopped in front of her brother, getting right up in his face. "What!?"   
  
Shingo grinned nervously as a drop of sweat formed unseen on the back of his head. "You might want to get dressed first."   
  
Usagi glanced down and sure enough, she was still wearing her pajamas. "I knew that. Now get out of my room, spore. I need to change." She pushed the door back shut, making sure it was secure this time.   
  
With lightning speed Usagi doffed her sleeping cloths and put on her favorite orange summer dress and yellow shirt. She pulled her flaxen blond hair up in the trademark two small buns, barely containing squeals of joy for having someplace to go. Two small combs were jammed in to secure her hair.   
  
Usagi admired herself in the mirror. She never went out without looking her very best; after all, you never know when you're going to run into your boyfriend. Usagi blushed at the thought. Her relationship with Mamoru had gone through some rough times recently, but now she was more devoted to him then ever. Satisfied with her eternal beauty, she ran out of her room and down the stairs.   
  
"Good morning father! Good morning mother!" Usagi called out as she entered the dining room. Shingo had already come down and was sitting at the table with Kenji. She gave her father a quick peck on the cheek.   
  
"Good morning daughter. Nice to see you finally up and about." Kenji said as he continued to read the morning paper.   
  
Usagi giggled and rubbed the back of her neck. "Ya, well, I was really looking forward to that festival."   
  
Ikuko walked into the room in her apron, carrying a tray of fresh-baked muffins. "Good morning daughter." Usagi snatched a muffin and crammed it in her mouth. "You missed breakfast again."   
  
Usagi mumbled something that sounded like an apology.   
  
"Don't talk with your mouth full," Ikuko remarked absently. "I think it's good of you to volunteer to take your brother to the park today."   
  
The dignified moon princess choked on her muffin. The brat was supposed to sick!   
  
A miraculously healed Shingo patted her on the back. "Thanks sis. You're the greatest," he said wearing his best look-I'm-cute face.   
  
Usagi swallowed frantically. She was going to tell on him for lying and oh boy was he gonna be in trouble then...   
  
"If you don't feel like going out, maybe Mom will help you look through your room for your cat." said her dear brother, patting her back just a little too hard.   
  
"Oh yeah! You know how much I love my little brother." Usagi smiled widely. "I'll take him anywhere, the park, the zoo, the river, whatever." Her parents just looked at her suspiciously. She grabbed Shingo by the arm and dragged him out the front door. "Come on, let's go dear little brother!"   
  
Ikuko walked over to close the door Usagi had left wide open. "That girl..."   
  
"Don't worry dear. She'll grow out of it eventually," said Kenji. "I hope," he added under his breath.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
Usagi screeched to a halt at the park entrance. She finally released the death-grip on her brother, who doubled over desperately gasping for air.   
  
'What a wimp', she thought as she went to the ticket booth. When she came back Shingo had recovered slightly.   
  
"You didn't... have to run... the whole way... here," he gasped out between breaths.   
  
"That's what you get for tricking me," Usagi scolded him.   
  
Shingo shrugged. "They wouldn't let me come by myself; and you would have said no if I had just asked you. I don't know what you're complaining about, I got you out the house."   
  
"Hmph."   
  
"Well, we're here now, so why don't we just drop this for today?"   
  
Usagi tossed her head in disdain. She was going to get him later, but right now there were more important things, like getting some of that popcorn she smelled cooking. "Ok, spore. Let's go have some fun!"   
  
Seconds later she was happily munching on a bag of popcorn as she walked down the midway. The PA system tried to play cheerful music but was drowned out by the chattering hubbub of the crowd. Lights flashed and vendors called from every booth offering every variety of game known to festival folk. Usagi scanned each, trying to find a game she liked, when she spied a familiar figure sitting on a stool.   
  
Stealthily she crept up on her unsuspecting victim. Suddenly she struck, clapping a hand down on a shapely shoulder. "Ha!"   
  
"Ack!" A long fall of raven black hair swiveled to reveal the face of a young priestess.   
  
"Hi Rei! I didn't know you were here!"   
  
"Silly girl! Don't bother me right now. I'm about to win a prize," Rei said nearly shouting.   
  
"Oh no you're not," Makoto said from the next stool with an intent look. She crossed her leg under her long brown dress and firmly took grip of the water pistol. "Usagi, don't make noise. We're busy."   
  
"Well you don't have to yell," Usagi pouted. The two sitting girls ignored her and looked into the booth. A bell sounded and high-pressure streams of water came out of the pistols and struck a row of gaping clown heads. Balloons filled quickly, Rei and Makoto being evenly matched. Suddenly a popping sound came from the other end of the booth and the game was over. A crowd of disappointed gamers stood, momentarily obscuring the winner. Soon the crowd cleared to reveal a carnie handing a large stuffed cabbit to a girl with short blue hair.   
  
"Thank you," the girl said in a quiet voice. She stood up to leave the booth. The other girls followed.   
  
"Ami? What are you doing here?" Makoto reached her first.   
  
"Oh, hello." Ami gave a half wave in greeting. "I finished all the advance work the teacher gave me, so I decided to take some time off. How about you?"   
  
Rei grimaced. "That idiot Yuuruchiru was trying out one of his new songs, so I called Mako and we decided to go here."   
  
Usagi piped up. "Well, I'm here with my brother." She pulled said brother forward. Now why was he trying to hide behind her? And why in the world was his face flushed? "Say hello, brother."   
  
Shingo bowed his head politely. "Hello Ms. Rei. Hello Ms. Makoto." His flushed deepened. "Hello Ms. Ami." All three greeted him in return. He turned back to Usagi. "I think I saw some of my friends over there. I'll spend the day with them and meet you later, OK?" He ran off before she could answer.   
  
"What a polite kid," said Ami.   
  
"I wish I had a little brother like that," Makoto said wistfully.   
  
"Are you kidding?" Usagi steamed. "He's a worthless spore! I can't stand him! If I could I would drop him in a second!"   
  
"It's nice to see you too, meatball head," a gruff male voice sounded behind and above her.   
  
Anger melted in a second as her demeanor underwent a complete reversal. "Mamo!" She spun to capture him in a powerful embrace. "Oh, I wasn't talking about you!" She always made so many mistakes, she was always so clumsy around him. Usagi wondered why he tolerated so much.   
  
"I know, Usako." Mamoru ruffled her golden hair with a firm but gentle hand. "I know you would never say something like that."   
  
"Right! We're together forever!" She felt the connection between them, strengthened by their proximity. They shared a fate; to marry, to have children, to rule a perfect future, and to share their love forever. Truly she would never abandon him, for all of eternity.   
  
Rei noticed the dreamy sparkle enter her friend's eye. "Oh, great, she's off in dreamland again," she complained to Makoto.   
  
"You're just jealous because she has a steady boyfriend and you can't even get Yuuruchiru to look twice," she shot back with a wink.   
  
"Am not! Are you crazy!?"   
  
"Come on, I've seen the way you look at him when you think noone's watching."   
  
Rei turned away in a huff. "At least I don't moon over all my failed relationships all the time."   
  
"Hey!" Makoto stepped toward Rei with the intention of continuing this friendly conversation with a headlock when Ami held her back.   
  
"I can't believe you're arguing about something so silly!" Both the arguing girls stared in surprise at their usually restrained friend's sudden outburst. Ami wilted under the scrutiny and continued with a quieter voice. "Please, don't fight."   
  
Makoto turned to Rei with a face full of embarrassment. "I'm sorry."   
  
The apprentice priestess soothed her anger and managed a small smile. "Me too."   
  
Usagi was oblivious to this exchange, wrapped up in fantasies of a gleaming crystal city and a little pink-haired girl. When Chibi-Usa had departed it felt like a part of her soul had been torn out. She felt the dull ache even now, pulsing in her with every heartbeat; but even so she felt a stronger joy. She was in love, surrounded by her loved ones and protectors. As long as she held on to that love her future was guaranteed, and some day she would meet that wonderful little girl again.   
  
"Let's go have fuuuun!" Usagi skipped forward, tightly holding the hand of her beloved. The Senshi followed close after.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
The day progressed without further incident from that point. Mamoru proved his throwing skill by winning a Sailor Moon mini-plush at the dart game, which resulted in an explosion of gratitude from Usagi. They had finally left the midway and entered the center of the park, where the rides had been set up. The cry of vendors was replaced by the clack and squeal of motors. The happy couple had gone on the Ferris wheel, while Rei and Makoto had decided on the miniature roller coaster. Ami had begged off, saying she didn't feel well. She wandered into a plaza secluded by flower terraces and sat on a bench next to the fountain. Next to her was piled the various prizes everyone had won that day.   
  
The subtle gurgling of the fountain masked the rush of noise from the park. Ami trailed her hand across the turbulent surface of the water. All around her she saw the bright faces of the crowd. Lovers holding hands. Parents leading their laughing children. All the troubles and woes of the world forgotten in the warmth of the sun and the joy of celebration. Ami wished desperately that she could join them.   
  
One figure caught her eye. It was young girl, dressed in denim and bearing a long sheaf of bright golden hair. She moved through the crowd furtively, glancing in every direction as if she were looking for something. The girl caught sight of Ami and gave her a grin and a huge wave. Ami lifted her hand from the fountain and waved back absently, scattering drops of water.   
  
Minako looked concerned for a moment, but quickly hid it under a cheery mask. "Hey Ames!" she burbled, plopping down on the bench next to unresponsive Ami. "What are you doing here by yourself?"   
  
Ami forced a smile. "I'm not here alone. I'm with Usagi and the others. They're on the rides right now and I agreed to watch their things. How about you?"   
  
Minako dismissed the question with a wave of her hand. "That's not what I meant. Where's your sweetheart Urawa?"   
  
Ami didn't speculate on how Minako had found out. The self-proclaimed Sailor of Love had made it clear that she had ways of knowing about their relationships. There were many times, like now, that her friends wished she didn't.   
  
"He said he couldn't make it. He was too busy studying," Ami said in a defeated tone.   
  
"That's his loss then. Do you know what you need?" Minako continued without waiting for an answer. "You need to have a fling. Nothing serious, just a quick date to loosen you up. Wait right here and I'll get a nice cute guy for you!" Minako had already stood by the time she finished. She dashed back into the crowded plaza.   
  
Ami was still in shock when Minako ran off. A million thoughts ran through her head. It might be nice to talk to someone. But she couldn't possibly spend time with some random stranger. What would her friends think? Who would even want to talk to her now? But Mina was going to all this trouble... No. She would politely refuse and apologize to whomever Mina had managed to snare.   
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by a scream. Ami looked up to see a bolt of light strike a nearby tree, lighting it on fire. She traced the bolt backward to its source. Two figures stood at the end of the plaza. One was tall, with a scaly green hide and antennae. The other was shorter, although he had an unlikely crest of black hair that nearly topped the other. He wore a gleaming set of blue and white armor and had what appeared to be a tail wrapped around his waist. The shorter one made a negligent gesture in her direction. Ami frantically jumped clear as another bolt came at her. The energy packet missed her feet by inches and struck the fountain, completely destroying the centerpiece and spraying water everywhere.   
  
Ami was frozen in terror. This wasn't possible. The Dark Moon family had been defeated. Youmas couldn't be attacking anymore. She shook her head to clear out the cobwebs. Youmas were attacking, and she had to do something about it. She stood with determination. The plaza had emptied within moments and now stood vacant and free from prying eyes. A wave of the hand produced a blue transformation wand, which Ami lifted to chant the activation phrase.   
  
"Mercury Star Power!"   
  
A bright light obscured the area for several seconds. When it disappeared there stood Sailor Mercury. The youma pair noticed the sudden flare and started to walk toward it. Mercury tapped her earring to produce her visor and took a reading of the two monsters advancing toward her. Their power was significantly higher than any youma they had faced before. Worse, they didn't have any weaknesses. The armor and the green one's hide seemed impenetrable.   
  
Mercury resolutely stood her ground. Every moment they spent on her was an opportunity for someone to escape the park. The youmas stopped several meters in front of her. The tall one grinned, exposing a row of fangs; the short one scowled. They raised their arms toward her. The senshi crossed her arms over her chest, preparing to counterattack.   
  
"Crescent Beam!"   
  
A line of coherent light slammed into the taller youma, sending him sprawling into the shorter and knocking them both off balance. Mercury took advantage of the momentary distraction to lay down cover. "Shabon Spray!" A flood of bubbles came forth from nowhere and covered the area in a thick fog.   
  
She ran toward the ride area. Their only hope was getting allies quickly. "Venus! Mars and Jupiter are on the roller coaster!" A moment later an energy beam passed through the area she had just been. Any reply was lost in the explosion as the beam struck a stone retaining wall.   
  
Mercury kept her head down as she ran out of the plaza. Several patrons had been trapped in the rides when everyone had fled the park, and most were screaming in terror. Including one very distinctive high-pitched wail. With a single bound leapt into the basket of the Ferris wheel where Usagi had been stuck with Mamoru.   
  
Usagi was latched on to her boyfriend's jacket bawling into his chest while he tried to comfort her. Their expressions quickly changed to concern when a transformed Ami dropped in on them.   
  
"Two youma are attacking the park!" Mercury stated without preamble.   
  
"Whaaaat?" a very surprised Usagi whined.   
  
Mamoru looked like his face had been carved from granite. "It seems our trip to the park is going to be more exciting then we had thought." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a red rose. The outline of his cloths grew fuzzy as they shifted into a formal tuxedo.   
  
Ami lifted Usagi and jumped back to the ground. "You better transform."   
  
"Right! Moon crystal power!"   
  
Moments later two fuku clad girls made their way back to the plaza. Tuxedo Kamen followed soon after, his cape flapping dramatically.   
  
The fog had cleared by time they arrived back at the plaza. The sounds of battle rang out. The other Senshi were already on the scene directing a rain of fire and light at the intruders. The youma absorbed the attacks without complaint. Not so much as a dent or scratch appeared on them. When a momentary lull in the onslaught appeared the youma struck back with a volley of energy blasts. Venus and Mars managed to dodge, but a beam hit Jupiter on the leg, sending her sprawling.   
  
Usagi struck an imperious pose. "Hold it right there! Everyone was having fun in the park today, and you ruined it." She launched into her usual song and dance. "For Love and Justice, I am the Pretty Sailor Suited Soldier Sailor Moon!"   
  
Mars and Venus had regrouped with an injured Jupiter. On their cue they shouted, "Sailor Senshi!"   
  
Mercury remained silent she worked her away around the edge of the plaza. She stopped opposite of Usagi and prepared to strike.   
  
"and in the name of the Moon," continued Sailor Moon, "I will punish you!"   
  
The youma were not impressed by such threats. They turned on the source of the interruption and concentrated their fire on her. Sailor Moon screamed and ducked for cover. Tuxedo Kamen sent out a wave of roses that nullified the incoming blasts.   
  
Now, while their backs were turned toward her, Mercury attacked. "Shine Aqua Illusion!" A high-pressure jet of ice cold water sprang out and struck the armored youma on the upper back. The short monster overbalanced and fell forward flat on his face.   
  
"Sparkling Wide Pressure!" A kneeling Jupiter lobbed the ball of highly concentrated electrical energy up the now exposed kilt of the armor. For the first time the youma appeared to be injured as he let loose an unearthly keening. The green youma staggered and tossed his head, his antennae flapping wildly.   
  
Venus gestured toward the disabled monster. "Love-Me Chain!" A chain of golden energy in the shape of hearts wrapped itself around the legs of the green youma. Venus yanked and sent it to the ground on top of the other. "Sailor Moon! Finish them!"   
  
A much more composed (now that noone was shooting at her) Sailor Moon complied. The royal Moon Scepter appeared in her outstretched hand. She performed the technical lovely but unnecessarily elaborate aiming movement, then called out, "Moon Scepter Elimination!" A focused cone of moonbeams washed over the prostate youmas. Their bodies seemed to melt together under the intense power of the blast. Finally they burst apart into a cloud of steam.   
  
"Moondusted!" an excited Sailor Moon crowed proudly.   
  
A breeze popped up in the plaza, clearing away the dust and debris of battle. Huge hunks had been torn out of the flowered terraces surrounding the plaza, and everything near the fountain had been completely destroyed. Including, Ami noticed with dismay, the bench she had been sitting on. A fire had caught among the dry upper branches of the trees and was spreading at an alarming rate, aided by the wind. The breeze also brought with it the sound of approaching sirens.   
  
"We should leave," Ami said with a tired voice.   
  
Rei and Mamoru picked up Makoto. Together the Senshi bounded out of the park. Without speaking a word, they went toward Cherry Hill Temple.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
Where are these monsters coming from? Why are they attacking our heroes? Keep reading to find out!   
  
A/N: That was a Namek and a Saiyan, in case you didn't catch it. I'm male, so I'm not sure how well I did with the girls' thoughts. Too much?   
  
Next up; enter the villains! *dun Dun DUN* Hopefully ff.net will be stable for a while and the next installment will be up next week. Ja na!


	3. Introduction part 3: Plans

Disclaimer: This segment is copyright by me and cannot be reproduced without express permission. Elements of this work may be used within the strictures of Fair Use.  
  
  
  
Empire's Expansion  
by Artful  
  
  
Introduction part 3: Plans  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kume was bored.  
  
Lines of fire slinked out from his fingertips and gathered in his upturned palm. The flame coalesced into a solid red sphere of glowing energy. Kume idly tossed the fireball from hand to hand as he continued to walk down the corridor.  
  
The previous owners of this palace had been mightily impressed with their own majesty. Fat lot of good it did them, he thought with a smirk. So when they built, they built on a massive scale. This place was a warren of open-air courtyards, solariums, galleries, storerooms, feast halls, noble quarters, and hundreds of rooms that had no real right to even exist. He had conquered smaller cities in his time.  
  
This was all well and good, he supposed. Some might even consider it to be a great and noble building. However, it was a real pain to get anywhere. Mister fancypants emperor had sent him a summons in the middle of his morning exercises with the army. So, he had to trek all the way back to his quarters to get his formal uniform, and now he had walk even further to get to the throne room. The main throne room, anyway. He had already passed at least two others.  
  
Kume tugged at his lapel, trying to twitch it back into place. The red uniform billowed out in every direction, tight only at the neck, waist, and around the tops of the matching boots. The loose design was comfortable while standing in place, but tended to twist wildly while he was walking. He finally gathered the loose material and tied it into a knot.  
  
Footsteps echoed throughout the empty hall as Kume continued on. Whole sections of the palace were abandoned now that the former residents had been forced out. Already a thin coat of dust covered every surface. The tapestries draped across the walls had started to deteriorate, giving the hall a musky odor.   
  
Kume paused momentarily to admire a particularly bloody depiction of battle. 'That's where I belong,' he thought. 'Leading my troops to glorious victory. It's been too long since I felt a life end on the point my blade.' He gripped the fireball like the hilt of a sword and took a practice swing. 'It's been way too dull around here recently.' Practicing with the army was fun, but nothing like the edge of real combat. Unfortunately, the last dissident faction had been crushed days ago and there wasn't much hope of another one popping up.   
  
'Man, where does he get off?' he thought about the Emperor. 'I'm the one who's doing all the work to expand this empire of his, and all he does is order me around.' Kume paused as the thought sunk in. He only got summoned when the emperor was planning something. This planet had been fully conquered. So...  
  
He resumed his journey to the throne with much greater enthusiasm, actually skipping with anticipation.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kume stopped as he spied a light at the end of the corridor. He flattened himself against the wall and stealthily crept toward the exit arch. Carefully he peeked his head out recon the next room. He had finally reached his destination, much to his relief.   
  
The main reception hall would have held an entire legion easily. A transparent crystal had been suspended over the entire room, allowing in natural light while blocking out the elements. The sun was nearly overhead, Kume noted with dismay. The emperor would be upset if he didn't show soon.   
  
The room had been cleaned out. Brighter squares in the marble floor indicated where furniture and statues had recently stood. Only one obstacle remained to get around. A lone figure stood next to the doors to the throne room. Now, while it was looking away....  
  
Kume charged. Moving with unnatural speed, he managed to cover half the distance before the guard started to turn. Kume formed another fireball and tossed it underhand. "KI!" he shouted as loudly as he could, then dove away. The fireball raced toward the face of the guard, who made no attempt to dodge as he saw it coming. At the last moment the ball imploded with a small poof.  
  
The guard didn't so much as a blink as Kume came forward to assess the results of his little stunt. "State your business," he said in a level monotone.  
  
"Iz be here to see da boss," Kume said with in a glib tone.  
  
No reaction. The guard continued to stare directly forward with a blank expression.  
  
'And these are supposed to be the perfect soldiers,' Kume thought with contempt. Compliant, controlled, incapable of questioning orders, ready to fight and die without hesitation. Sure, it would be nice to have an army of those; but the trade off wasn't nearly worth it. These morons had no initiative, no imagination, and couldn't pour water out a boot without directions. He almost wished he had let the fireball run its course. It wasn't like there was any shortage of Agents.  
  
This wasn't going anywhere, Kume realized. He drew himself up to his full height, not quite managing to become even with the top button of the dull gray uniform of the Agent, and spoke in a formal tone. "Kume to see Emperor Khre."  
  
"Yes, General Kume. You are expected. Enter." The pitch of the voice never wavered as the guard pulled open the door.  
  
Kume entertained a fantasy of a human torch standing perfectly still and quiet at guard as he entered.  
  
Compared with the rest of the palace, the throne room was desolate. The floor and walls had been stripped and scoured to bare gray stone, and the ceiling had been turned opaque. Only the far end of the hall bore any decoration, as a massive engraving of the seal of Sumat hung centered on the wall. A glowing globule hanging over the throne provided limited illumination. At the right hand of the throne stood a man in flowing robes so dark he almost disappeared into the gloom. To the left, a man in a white suit, resembling a lab coat or doctor's uniform, that glimmered even in the low light. Sitting on the throne was the man himself.  
  
"Master!" Kume dropped to his left knee before the throne. The edifice seemed as if had been hewn from blank rock. The figure upon the throne seemed almost inanimate against it, as if a statue had been placed there. The metal rings wrapped around his arms and legs reinforced this. Beneath an onyx crown, a chiseled face nodded in acknowledgement. Thin lips smiled.  
  
"Welcome Kume. I had wondered when you were going to arrive." The voice was deep and commanding, with a hint of displeasure. The erstwhile general sank deeper into himself.  
  
"Forgiveness, master," Kume squeaked.  
  
"Forgiven." The emperor dismissed the matter with a wave of his pale hand. "Join us. We are surveying our newest conquests."  
  
"Oooh." Kume sprung from his kneeling stance, flipped, and landing hanging to off the back of the throne in one fluid motion. His eyes were immediately drawn to a moving picture in front of the throne. A gaggle of nubile young girls in form fitting leotards and impossibly short skirts danced around a green-skinned demon. Kume grinned. "Excellent choice, master. I'm gonna have a lot of fun with this one."  
  
Khre wagged a finger. Kume felt his head turning, against his will, to face another moving picture.  
  
"This will be your assignment. Pay attention and you will live longer."   
  
Ever obedient (and unable to look away), Kume shut up and studied. The picture was split into several sections. The largest part showed a young boy and a green man in a cape fighting. Smaller insets displayed two similar-looking men exercising strenuously. Kume was decidedly less happy with this. "Master..."  
  
Another gesture from the emperor stopped the complaint before it formed. "Kura, report," the order came from the throne.  
  
The man in white answered briskly. "Deployment of the constructs was a total success. Final tuning of the dimensions warp has been completed. Infiltration teams are standing by."  
  
"Excellent," Khre replied. "Kiro, report."  
  
The dark-robed man paused a moment before he spoke. "Their reaction to the constructs was as expected. It is certain they will respond negatively to similar stimuli." He paused again before continuing. "Master, the females appear to be relatively weak. It would be more productive to capture and convert them, than to destroy them."  
  
"That's what I find worrisome," Kura cut in. "There must some facet to their power we haven't seen yet. Better to capture these," he pointed to the split screen. "They don't seem to possess anything besides brute force."  
  
"No," Kiro responded coldly. "Those would dangerous even if they were converted."  
  
Kume listened as the bickering continued. Kura's voice rose each time he tried to get his point across. Kiro remained quiet, but grew more cutting with each remark. It was no wonder they fought; they were nothing alike. The only thing they agreed on was that the other was not to be agreed with, and it irked them both that the emperor considered their advice evenly and without prejudice.  
  
"Enough," Khre spoke. "Any living Guardian is dangerous. They will all be destroyed. Kiro, I want you to personally deal with the female group."  
  
"Awww!" a shrill whine came from where Kume was perched. "How come he gets assigned the cute girls and I get these fashion victims? It's not fair!" Kiro always got the perks. He didn't even do anything to deserve it! All he did was observe conversions. This would be the first time he actually went into battle, and his opponents were total babes!  
  
Khre looked up. "Kiro was correct. They are the stronger fighters."  
  
"Really?" Kume blinked.  
  
"Oh yes." Khre spoke slowly, exaggerating each phrase. "They are much stronger. They defeated the construct I sent with ease."  
  
Kume scoffed. "Those things? I could defeat one with my arms and legs bound and a stick shoved through my head." Constructs made good scouts, but would be hopelessly outmatched against any real opponent. The fragility of their composition was all too apparent when the first blow hit.  
  
"That's right," The emperor grinned. "The constructs aren't meant to fight battles. That's why I have you."  
  
"Ya!" Kume brightened at the compliment. "Go on and wipe out those sissy girls, Psych-man. I'm going for the real action."  
  
Kiro was taken aback at this exchange. "Master, I do not think this is wise," he said with a tightly composed voice. "I..."  
  
Khre fixed him with a penetrating stare. "You will obey," he spoke with the full authority of the ruler of worlds.  
  
Only one response was possible. "Your will, master."  
  
"Indeed." The emperor gestured his followers to come closer. "For the glory of the Brotherhood of Sumat, you will follow my will; and my will is battle. Attend well. Here is my plan."  
  
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What sinister plot is developing against our heroes? Keep reading to find out!  
  
A/N: Here it is, folks. Four original villains, straight from my brain to your screen. This is where I would most like comment. How well have I introduced my creations? Next segment, the plan starts to unfold. Ja na! 


End file.
